Gopashtami - 30 Oct 2025

Gopashtami is a celebration of the day on which Krishna and Balarama and other boys Their age, were promoted from tending calves to cows. This event is described in Srimad-Bhagavatam (10.15.1):

tatas ca pauganda-vayah-sritau vraje
babhuvatus tau pasu-pala-sammatau
gas carayantau sakhibhih samam padair
vrndavanam punyam ativa cakratuh

“When Lord Rama and Lord Krsna attained the age of pauganda [six to ten] while living in Vrndavana, the cowherd men allowed Them to take up the task of tending the cows. Engaging thus in the company of Their friends, the two boys rendered the land of Vrndavana most auspicious by imprinting upon it the marks of Their lotus feet.”

The Lord is very kindly disposed toward the cows and the brahmans (go-brahmana-hitaya), and whoever serves them becomes dear to Him, too. Knowing this, devotees observe a special festival on Gopastami day, dedicated to the worship of cows. In Vrindavan especially, and the world over, devotees begin the festival by brushing the cows, painting their horns and bodies with artistic designs, and hanging flower garlands around their necks. Then a cow and her calf are selected, and an arati is offered to them. During the arati, devotees sing the Hare Krishna maha-mantra, and then they feed the cow, her calf, and indeed the entire herd, bananas, balls of gur (jaggery), and fresh grass. Some devotees also recite the following mantra (Hari-bhakti-vilasa 16.252):

agratah santu me gavo
gavo me santu prsthatah
gavo me parsvatah santu
gavam madhye vasamyaham

“May cows stay in front of me. May cows stay behind me. May cows stay on both sides of me. May I always reside in the midst of cows.”

Our ISKCON temple & Goshala has a huge cowshed, where we tend to a huge number of cows. On this day come and show your love to our cows and be well reciprocated by our cows and our Giridhari!